PlayStation may make older peripherals compatible with modern consoles

Sony has filed a patent that could point to older PlayStation peripherals coming to modern PlayStation consoles.

The patent, titled “Systems and Methods For Converting A Legacy Code Into An Updated Code,” was filed on June 30th, 2022 by Sony Interactive Entertainment. In the application, Sony outlines an emulation process to get PlayStation 3-era peripherals up and running on modern devices like the PS5 and PS4.

Specifically, we see images of devices like a DualShock controller, a Sony Media Remote, PlayStation Mouse, EyeToy, a PlayStation Move wand, PlayStation Portable and more. What’s notable about most of these is that they come from the PS3 era, a console that has been historically difficult to access on modern consoles. A key reason for that boils down to the PS3’s unique cell architecture, which Sony has said makes emulation much more difficult.

Of course, as with any patent, it’s important to take this with a grain of salt, given that it could very well never see the light of day. That said, this one might be more plausible when considering PlayStation’s broader emulation efforts as of late.

Last month, the company launched its all-new PlayStation Plus service, which now offers the only way to play a number of PS3 games on PS4/PS5. However, reliable VentureBeat journalist Jeff Grubb reported in April that PlayStation is working on a proper emulation solution for PS3 titles on PS5. Should that be true, it would make sense that PlayStation would also look into making that console’s accessories available on its modern hardware.

Via: VGC